


All Was Golden When the Day Met the Night

by Denibear929



Series: When the Day Met the Night [1]
Category: Glee, The L Word, Twilight (Movies)
Genre: All your faves are problematic porn stars and Rachel loves it, Alternate Universe - BDSM, BDSM, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/F, In which Rachel falls in love with porn stars and gets in way over her head, Multi, Multiverse, Porn With Plot, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This is a giant clusterfuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-04 13:45:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10992141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denibear929/pseuds/Denibear929
Summary: Very NSFW. BDSM & Mature themes. Rachel is invited to attend a sexuality workshop by her friend Emmett, who works in the adult entertainment industry, as a gift. New to San Francisco and eager to experience something new, Rachel agrees and her world is once again turned upside down when she meets intimidatingly beautiful models and performers and delves deep into the Adult Entertainment industry.





	1. All Was Golden in the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a multiverse crossover to put it plainly. Not a fan of popular f/f ships in the fandoms I’m in so I’m borrowing the characters I’m fond of(written about) and putting them together in an environment I deem experimental. Not your cup of tea? I understand. Thank you for taking the time. I’m still debating whether or not to add the supernatural flair to the story but hey, this is story is just for fun.

                The past few years have wrought so many unexpected changes for Rachel Berry. While she was never one to back down from a challenge, all it took was the crushing blow of failure to really alter her perspective on life. One moment she was living the dream in New York City with her former friends and the next, she found herself slumming it with a family friend in California. Rachel never took rejection all too well and it was because of this that led her to flee across the country away from everyone and everything that reminded her of her suffering.

Rachel sighed to herself as she took another long sip from her coffee. The wounds were still too fresh to think about and while it would take some time to fully recover from the death of her dream, Rachel knows she’ll survive this, even if the odds don’t appear in her favor right now.

As she mindlessly flipped through the pages of a fashion magazine she no longer found interesting, the door to her apartment suddenly flew open. A small smile graced her features when she saw her roommate, Emmett, stumble through the doorway.

“Oh shit!” Emmett cried out as he clumsily caught himself from tripping over his own feet.

Rachel couldn’t help but let out a giggle at the sight of the large, burly man nearly knocking over their floor lamp by the entrance. It was adorable, really.

Emmett laughs it off and walks over to where Rachel is sitting on the couch and leans over to plant a kiss on her forehead.

“I’m nearly twenty eight years old and you’d think I’d get the hang of walking by now. Anyway, how was your day, Kitten?” He asks affectionately, placing both of his hands atop of Rachel’s shoulders.

“Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing. _You’re_ the one with an interesting job in this household, after all. As for me, I filled out a few more job applications and sent in a few resumes as well. None of this would have ever been possible without your generosity and unconditional love and support, Emmett. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, I’m not sure how I’ll ever repay you.” Rachel replied.

Emmett carelessly threw himself on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table, motioning for Rachel to scoot closer to him.

“Don’t worry about it. When my dad told us what was going on, I was already searching for a roommate and I figured you could use a place to crash. I’m just glad Carlisle talked your dads into letting you stay with us while you work on getting a fresh start away from everything. Maybe New York wasn’t ready for someone as talented as you, but for what it’s worth I’m glad it led you here to me. You deserve better than the big ol’ rotten apple and I can assure you that California will be good for you in the long run. Hell, you may never want to leave!” Emmett said with infectious enthusiasm as he draped an arm around Rachel.

”I hope that’s a promise because while we’re on the subject of California possibly being endgame for me, I’d still like to know more about what brought you out here in the first place. I mean, you seemed perfectly happy back in Seattle, what made you commit to such a drastic move yourself?” Rachel asked, noting the way Emmett tensed at the question.

His silence spoke volumes, the tension in the room growing thicker by the second. When he finally glanced back at Rachel, there was uncertainty clearly evident behind his brilliant golden eyes. Perhaps she overstepped her boundaries or she phrased the question wrong but Emmett was walking around with a chip on his shoulder and the idea of opening up to his longtime friend made him uncomfortable.

“Oh god, where are my manners? I’m being such an ass; just because I’m an open book doesn’t mean I should expect you to tell me everything. I’m sorry, that was unfair of me to assume you’d want to talk about a painful chapter of your past. I figured we could catch up by sharing personal experiences since it’s been awhile but wow, I’m rambling again. I’m sorry!” Rachel worriedly clasped her hands together as she straightened up and scooted away from Emmett out of respect for his need for personal space.

As for Emmett, he contemplated Rachel for a moment before he sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He finally offered her a genuine smile, clearly amused by Rachel’s rambling. It was something he could easily grow accustomed to. He lifted himself off the couch and offered his friend a hand, which she immediately took without hesitation.

“It’s not so much painful as it’s something I simply prefer to keep private but since you’re going to be living with me, there’s no use in hiding who I am or omitting what I do. As far as you know from what I willingly told you in the beginning, I work in the porn industry as a filmmaker and editor…but that’s not the whole truth.” Emmett admitted as he led Rachel into his room.

He sat Rachel down on his computer chair and opened up his laptop, powering it on while being keenly aware of Rachel’s seemingly calm demeanor. He raised a brow, his own curiosity getting the better of him.

“You definitely look suspicious; is there something you think I'm hiding? I can’t wait to hear your theories.” Emmett said as Rachel smiled shyly at him.

“I’ve always thought it was - excuse my vulgarity - _bullshit_ that you would ever agree to work in porn, Em. You probably only said that for shock value, which I’ll admit I was surprised at first but after observing your questionable behavior a few minutes ago, I’m fairly certain you were just hiding the fact that you’re an ordinary accountant at some obscure financial institution. Maybe you’re a cashier at some natural foods store and you were ashamed to admit it.” Rachel teased, earning a hearty laugh from the man standing before her.

“If that were true, Kitten, I wouldn’t be able to afford this apartment. Here, before I show you what I’ve been doing the past few years since I moved here from Washington, let me tell you a little background information. When I was living in Forks, I’d been dating a slightly older woman named Rosalie. She’s honestly the most beautiful woman you’ll ever meet in your life like Jesus H. Christ, she’s a bombshell with a stunning personality. Anyway, we decided to call it quits when I found out she’d been doing those explicit live web cam shows on the internet and I ended up transferring to Seattle so it wasn’t going to work out anyway.”

“I’ll admit, it took some time for me to realize that I’d been unfair to Rose about the whole live web cam thing she had going on and I felt guilty so I don’t really know what prompted me to try calling her up again. Maybe I just wanted some closure about our failed relationship and apologize for my shitty behavior but  it all came down to her needing to know that I was sincerely sorry about putting her through unnecessary emotional obstacles. She’s an incredibly forgiving woman, Rosalie, and for that I’m grateful because she’s become one of the best friends I’ve ever had. Oh, and so are you by the way; you don’t need to worry about being replaced any time soon.” Emmett continued, ignoring what he thought was mock indignation.

Rachel was actually growing impatient. What did any of this have to do with the situation and his career choices anyway?

“Seriously, Emmett, I can feel myself aging the longer you delay the inevitable. Get to the juicy stuff!” Rachel demanded playfully.

“Patience, young padawan, I'm getting there! So as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Rosalie tells me that there’s been a shift in career and at this point, I kind of put two and two together and ask her if she was doing porn because in my head, it made sense that you could transition to the more serious stuff if you’ve already done web cam shows in this line of work. To make an already long story short, Rosalie links me to the website of the company she’s currently represented by and I’m taken aback by what I see because never in my life could I have ever imagined her being into the things that she’s currently into but at the same time, I was intrigued. I do my research, I see that there’s a link to become a model and while it was for shits and giggles at first, I take a few intimate photos of myself and send those in along with a rather... _lengthy_ solo video, and lo and behold, I actually get a call back. I was terrified in the beginning because I didn’t think they’d actually show interest and so…I decided to take a chance and see for myself how being in this line of this work could benefit me.”

Emmett types into the address bar of his browser and clicks on an already bookmarked link readily available for viewing and what pops onto the screen sends Rachel flying out of the chair, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as she stares wide eyed at the sight of a very naked Emmett Cullen posing directly in front of her.

Rachel goes back and forth between staring at the screen and glancing at the six foot five adult film star standing before her with great incredulity. She’s in absolute disbelief. Unable to form words, Rachel’s gesturing between the laptop and her friend wildly and it makes Emmett laugh.

“There’s no- come on- that’s just not –that’s just not fair, you look like _God_ himself chiseled you out of marble stone and brought you to life. That’s all photoshop, there’s no way people can look like that without technology interfering. Impossible body standards are being set for men every day, I cannot – Emmett, what are you doing?”  Rachel asks as sudden movement caught her attention from the corner of her eye.

Emmett swiftly takes off his shirt and tosses it on top of his bed, a devilish smirk playing upon his lips.

_‘The smug bastard’_ Rachel thought to herself before all rationality went out the window at the sight of exposed skin.

She’d only ever been with Finn and Brody sexually but their bodies did not come close to looking like Emmett’s lean body underneath their clothes. Rachel was flabbergasted to say the least – it was almost too much to take in all at once.

“Penny for your thoughts, Rachel?” Emmett asked, purposely flexing his muscles as his roommate gave him a thorough once over.

Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed but she figured she could make an attempt to humble him.

“Shut your mouth, _Jackson_ _Steelbone_.” Rachel jokingly said as she wondered what inspired the strange stage name he chose for himself.  
  
“Good lord, I really should have been more creative with stage name, but – ah fuck it, I’m ranked twenty three as a top male performer in the industry so I don’t have any complaints. My fans don’t seem to mind either.” Emmett replied as he walked over to the nearest dresser to pull out a clean sleeveless workout shirt.

Rachel had to admit she was still shell shocked at the revelation that Emmett was both a model and performer in the adult entertain industry but there was no going back now. She was actually quite fascinated by the type of content Emmett had under his belt.

“Wow, l would never have figured you to be the type of guy to be into bondage, that looks really painful – and oh, Oh, OH! These thumbnails are quite explicit. To be perfectly frank, I’m rather surprised by the amount of LGBT content you have on your page. Are you at all comfortable with all this being out there on the internet? Do you enjoy having sexual intercourse with both men and women? What does BDSM stand for and what does it entail?” Rachel asks excitedly as she scrolls down Emmett’s homepage.

“Slow down there, kitten, I appreciate your enthusiasm but let’s not get ahead of ourselves! I’ll be honest, I kind of thought I screwed up by letting you in on my little secret. You’re taking this rather well – I mean, you’re still here talking to me like I’m a person and not a pariah. You have no idea how much it means to me that I haven’t scared you off yet.” Emmett exclaimed.

Rachel looked embarrassed when she began spouting question after question; he had yet to answer one and she just steamrolled over his personal feelings on the subject.

“I’m so sorry, Emmett, I know I can be annoying when I don’t take other people’s feelings into consideration when I start spewing nonsense. It’s just that you’re my best friend Emmett, you took me in when everybody else pushed me away the moment I needed them. I would never want you to endure what I’ve endured my entire life and if this makes you happy, I whole-heartedly support you one hundred percent. I’m not sexually experienced much myself and all of this looks positively terrifying but you look like you’re happy doing what you’re doing. How could I not support you and happiness?”

Rachel got up from the chair and immediately pulled Emmett into a warm, loving embrace. Emmett wrapped his arms around Rachel’s lithe frame and held onto her for what seemed like forever.

“I love you, Kitten.”

“Love you too. I may not fully understand everything about the adult entertainment business and I’m sure there’s a few misconceptions I have that you’ll help me sort out about your career but I’m here for you. There’s nothing you can do that will scare me away from you.” Rachel said gently, pressing a soft kiss on his chest since she couldn’t reach his cheek.

“That being said, I’m glad you’re on board with this whole thing.  Your enthusiasm and curiosity leads me to believe that you need to step out of your comfort zone some more. From what I know about your previous relationship experiences, you’ve never really had the chance to explore your sexuality. I’ve got just the thing in mind that will help you understand why I’m into the whole BDSM culture and why the company I work for has the best reputation in the industry. Every month, our company offers sexuality workshops that include an introduction to rope tying, sexual exploration classes for singles or couples and even a few classes that help you implement roleplaying in the bedroom. Rosalie is one of the models that teaches these courses with the help of some of our directors and with my connections, we can give you a grand tour of the armory and you get to attend a few classes that show you why we love doing what we do for free. What do you say?”

Rachel pulled away from Emmett, suddenly shy and uncertain about the idea.

“You may be fully comfortable doing what you do, but I’m an outsider to this sort of thing. Not only that but I’m new to San Francisco and everything it has to offer, I’ll look like I don’t exactly belong there even if I’m with you. Do you think I’ll be okay even if I do agree to go?”

Emmett chuckled and playfully ruffled Rachel’s hair.

“This is a new chapter in your life, Rachel, it’s a chance for you to start over and to do the things you normally would never agree to do in your past life. Take this opportunity to learn something new, something you should be doing every day might I add, and have fun while you’re at it. However, I can promise you this; if at any time you feel uncomfortable and want to leave, I’ll take you home right away or we can go watch the new Power Rangers movie at the dollar theatre instead. How does that sound?”

Rachel took a moment to contemplate the opportunity being presented to her. Emmett did make an excellent point about stepping outside of her comfort zone while she remained fearless. It would mean experiencing something new and entirely different and there was a strong possibility that she could enjoy herself in the process. What’s not to love about that?

“Alright, Emmett, you’ve convinced me. I’m willing to learn everything there is to learn about the industry you’re apart of and the culture you seem to love so much. I just have two very important questions: what’s Rosalie’s stage name and what’s she like?” Rachel asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion when Emmett suddenly pushed her back towards the computer chair once more with that oh so familiar devilish smirk of his.

“Just type in ‘ _Maitresse Rosalie Vixen_ ” in the search bar and watch a few of her recent videos. She’s strictly into femdom – which uh-which means she’s a dominatrix and she’s really into her role. It’ll give you an idea of what to expect when she’s teaching a class. Just remember it’s all about role playing and it doesn’t really showcase who she really is outside of her little realm. Please remember that.’’

Rachel took a deep breath, feeling a little strange knowing that she was going to spend the rest of the early morning watching pornographic videos with her best friend but it would be nice to attend these classes with some idea of what to expect from her teachers and what kind of lessons were going to be taught. Ever since she left New York, the choices she made led her to strange destinations but she can’t say she didn’t welcome the absurdity of it all. Life had a way of working out in the most unexpected of ways..


	2. When the Sun met the Moon, she was drinking tea in a garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel attends the workshop class Emmett had been talking about and there she meets a few of his co-workers, including the queen of all dommes, Maitresse Rosalie Vixen. Her introduction to BDSM is an experience she'll never soon forget.

          

Rachel stood in front of her mirror for what felt like hours debating which dress would be appropriate for the two hour event she agreed to attend with Emmett. Her nerves were beyond shot and it seemed like her increased heart rate wouldn't settle down any time soon. She needed to blend in with the community of  _kink enthusiasts_ who would also be in attendance. If the rumors were true about the models picking a subject at random for a live hands on demonstration, she wanted to feign experience. Of course she was more than a little interested in learning about BDSM culture and what goes on behind the scenes but to be at the mercy in the hands of a dominatrix in front of a live audience? Rachel wasn't sure she could handle the humiliation. She needed to make sure she didn't catch the eye of any of the instructors so she made it a point to look as if she'd attended these events on a regular basis, that this introductory to rope tying class was child's play to her. 

Growling in frustration, Rachel threw open her bedroom door and ran into the living room where Emmett had been sitting on the couch and drinking his wine. Emmett glanced up for a second and turned his attention to his glass before he did a double take at the sight of Rachel standing before him in lacy underwear. 

"Quick, help me make a decision I won't regret for the rest of my life. Should I go with the sexy black sheath dress or go with the more contemporary bodycon dress with the lace design?"

Rachel held out two dresses in front of her. The sheath dress came with padded shoulders, a plunging V-neckline, mesh-paneled sides, long sleeves, and a concealed back zipper; the dress would bring about a dark, sexy side to Rachel that would certainly catch everybody's eye. The lacy knit bodycon dress, however, would be just as impressive with its off-the-shoulder collar, short sleeves and bright red and nude color combination. Either way, Emmett had to make a decision based on how little attention she would receive from the instructors when it came down to the live rope tying demonstration. He still couldn't believe out of everything he's told her about the company he works for, that this was the one thing giving her the most anxiety; although, based on her reactions to what she had seen on Maitresse Rosalie's videos, he could understand why she'd be nervous.

"Depends. Are you going to wear your hair down or put it up?" He asked, taking another slow sip from his glass. The way the dark red wine stained his lips in contrast to his pale skin gave him this raw surge of animalistic vibes that Rachel suddenly felt drawn to though it could also easily scare her away as well.

"I'm leaving it down, straightened." 

"I'd say go with the black dress, it'll make you look both fierce and desirable while giving off an air of undeserved snootiness." Emmett teased, clearly enjoying the way Rachel blushed at those words.

"Hmm. That will certainly call unnecessary attention to me so I'm going with the red dress. Thank you, anyway!" Rachel said, planting a quick kiss across his cheek before running off in the other direction.

Emmett sighed. Red was Rosalie's favorite color and if she was going to be the one leading the live demonstrations, she's definitely going to have her eye on Rachel. She had a preferred type for submissive women; Rosalie loved brunettes, especially if they were either mouthy or defiant in some way because they were more fun to break. If he makes a personal request for them to leave her alone, Rosalie would definitely choose Rachel for the sake of putting up a show. Emmett wasn't too worried though, he was certain they'd have a few willing volunteers who couldn't wait for  _Maitresse Rosalie Vixen_ to manhandle them.

When Rachel finished applying her makeup, she blew herself a kiss in the mirror and adjusted the black collar around her neck. It reminded her of a choker but it wasn't tight enough to be uncomfortable. She stepped out of the bathroom and found Emmett waiting by the front door wearing his sweater vest and collared shirt. Due to his large bulky mass, if he flexed, it looked like he'd rip his clothes to shredded, tattered pieces within seconds. Rachel grinned at the thought.

"You look absolutely incredible tonight. Are you ready to go? It's not too late to change your mind, you know." Emmett said as he gave her an appreciative once over.

Rachel took a deep breath and nodded, slowly but surely. If she didn't jump at the chance of embarking on this epic journey to self discovery now, when would she ever? She knew she had to see this through no matter how utterly terrified she was.

"Let's go. I'm looking forward to this class, it may give me some interesting ideas to try at home." Rachel replied casually as she went through her purse to ensure she had everything she needed for the special event.

"Is that so? Are you implying that I'll wake up butt naked, hogtied and bent over for your pleasure? Oh, could you blindfold me and gag me with your underwear while you call me names? God, that would be so hot."

Rachel's cheeks reddened at that particular thought and so she brought her palms to her face to hide her embarrassment. 

"Emmett! That's not what I - Jesus, that was oddly specific by the way, we'll talk about this again later - but I meant that I could practice on myself, like tying my ankles together, or trying the ball gag on myself just to get a feel for what's it like to submit yourself completely to another person without fully committing myself into something I don't quite understand. You get turned on by the strangest things." Rachel said, her eyes finally meeting Emmett's. 

"What can I say? This industry's ruined me, but trust me when I say there's nothing quite like the sight of a gorgeous woman dressed in leather who's ready to penetrate you with a strap on while you're bound and gagged." Emmett said as he waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Rachel sighed with exasperation and shushed him by placing a finger directly on his lips.

"No further comment. _Please._ "

He agreed with a smile and kissed her finger.   
  
They finally jumped into Emmett's beloved red jeep and immediately drove off, Emmett turning down the volume of his music so he could engage in family friendly conversation with Rachel.

"This little adventure reminds me of the story Carlisle told me about how he met your dad, Hiram. He told you the tale, right?" Emmett asked, before honking his horn in annoyance as somebody cut him off in the middle of heavy traffic. 

Rachel smiled wistfully, her heart tugging at the mention of her father. She should call her dads first thing in the morning to check in on them. Knowing them, they're probably worried about her well being.

"You mean the time Carlisle and his buddies went adventuring to the beach only to discover it was overrun by a colony of nudists? I still can't believe my dad walked right up to Carlisle and asked him to help rub sunblock all over his naked body. The moment my dad saw your dad, he was struck by Cupid's arrow; I remember him telling me about how hard he was crushing on Carlisle the day he strolled up to the beach looking lean and mean in his skimpy swimsuit. Your dad was great though, he was flattered by the attention and still went on to give him a full body massage."

"It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Your dad was like half drunk though and of course, the lady acting as his beard - my lovely mother Esme, walked up to him and tried to get him to settle down. She was worried about somebody not wanting that kind of attention from another man and didn't want him to get hurt and Carlisle, in his words, was struck dumb by her beauty. His friends were cool with it, my dad obviously didn't mind and Esme needed help trying to tame a half drunk naked man on the beach. It was the most fun he'd ever had, Carlisle said, and not long after, they were all relaxing by a bonfire, drinking beer and eating s'mores. Hiram and Carlisle forged a strong bond that day, my friend. I wonder if tonight will solidify what we already have going on." Emmett said thoughtfully.

Rachel laughed and gave Emmett's shoulder a light squeeze.

"It's strange to think about, knowing how far they've come along since then. Your dad went on to become a successful doctor and mine went on to become a high profile attorney yet they still remained close. When we first officially met, we were children enjoying a blanket picnic on the beach while our parents relived old times. Then you guys came to visit us during the glee club's first trip to Regionals. What I would have given growing up with you instead of the brutes and bullies I've come to known most of my life. I'm so glad you decided to keep in touch." Rachel spoke with a tinge of sadness in her voice and Emmett reached over to place his hand atop of Rachel's and gently squeezed.

"Would have been better if you moved out to Washington instead and you wouldn't have had to deal with slushies to the face. Fucking assholes. You were always too good for Lima, and fuck New York too. NYADA didn't know what the hell they were doing by kicking you out and those Broadway auditions that didn't work in your favor? I know it still stings and I'm sorry, Rachel, I really am but those experiences are going to shape you into the star you were meant to become. California will be everything and more if you really set your mind to it. It's going to take time, but you're something special, Rachel. You're going to make it big out here and I'll be here to support you every step of the way." Emmett told her. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, which brought a small smile to Rachel's face.

"Your unwavering love and support is what's keeping me going through this difficult time. Thank you, but now let's not dwell on the past. I need to put on a brave face if I'm going to make it out of this class alive. Is it weird to say that while I'm looking forward to meeting Rosalie, I'm also pretty sure I'm going to possibly faint at the prospect of meeting the infamous _Maitresse Rosalie Vixen_ in person? She seems like the kind of person you don't want to piss off or say no to."

 Emmett laughed heartily at that.

"The role she takes on as mistress is quite different than who she is outside of that role. I honestly need to take you on a behind the scenes tour of what goes on during these shoots. Believe it or not, we've got bloopers and outtakes that remind you our stars are as every bit as _human_ as you or I." 

Rachel shot him a skeptical look.

"The porn industry has a collection of bloopers and outtakes just like any regular television series or Hollywood movie? Huh, I guess you learn something new everyday and you know I'm more than just a little interested in watching a few of those clips. Whoa - is this where all the magic happens? This place looks incredible, it looks like a castle straight out of a _DIsney_ movie -except you know, with whips, slave collars, handcuffs and sex dungeons." Rachel said, completely awestruck at the sight of the historical San Francisco landmark where Emmett worked.

 "That sounds like a Disney movie I'd actually watch, but uh, yeah this is where I work. It used to be the National Guard Armory and sometimes big name movie studios rent the place out to shoot some of their movies while we're off doing our naughty things in the corner. It's really fun; I can't tell you how much i love my job sometimes because I'm sure it'll bore you but coming out here with Rose was definitely one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life."Emmett explained with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Your passion is admirable, Emmett, but before we head inside to the Armory, how do I look? I already feel like an outsider enough as it is and I don't want to be scrutinized further by some of the most gorgeous models I'd ever seen in my life." Rachel asked anxiously, gesturing to her dress and choice of heels.

Emmett didn't want to dampen Rachel's determination to stay out of the spotlight by telling her outright that she fit in as well as a peacock among turkeys. She did look beautiful, but considering how other people have dressed to these type of events, all eyes would fall on her the moment she entered the room.

"You look stunning, Rachel. Don't let the idea of a hands on demonstration scare you away from an excellent opportunity to explore your sexuality. You're going to be fine, the people who teach these workshop classes are professionals and they believe communication is key to building a trusting relationship between a domme and her sub. Chances you'll be picked to be a sub are extremely slim but if you are chosen, you'll be given a safe word and you can use it at any given time if you're uncomfortable with the scenario presented to you." Emmett assured her, linking his arm through hers and without hesitation, Rachel led them inside the two hundred thousand square foot Moorish castle.

When they finally walked through the heavy doors of the Armory after presenting their tickets and identification cards to the security guards just outside the entrance, Rachel's jaw dropped wide open. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, it almost felt as if she'd stepped backward in time to explore an important piece of San Francisco history. With the exception of modernized decoration, the castle still held up some of its original charm when it was first built back in 1914. Emmett promised to take her on a tour of the Armory on a different day and their class was just about to get started so she unfortunately couldn't take the time to fully appreciate everything she'd just seen for the moment.

They entered a rather large studio set, the floor covered in mats and tables surrounding the mats filled with a variety of kinky equipment and of course several types of rope since this was an introduction to rope tying class. When Rachel looked around the room, she was immediately disheartened when she realized she shouldn't have ignored Emmett's suggestion to wear the black dress. There were paired off couples wearing matching black and white casual wear while others wore neutral colored dress shirts and dresses. Rachel definitely felt out of place like perhaps she overdressed for the occasion but maybe that was a good thing; maybe she'd be able to avoid being picked out among a crowd of other eager kink enthusiasts trying to spice up their sex life to demonstrate what they've learned in the class.

Just then, the lights in the room dimmed and in the center of the room stood three figures wearing all black with nylon rope and other restraints in their hands. The man in the middle room introduced himself as Xavier Wilde. The woman on his right stepped forward and introduced herself as Priscilla Luscious, while the smaller woman on the far left stepped up and identified as Alix Lovebomb.

Emmett pointed to each of them as he quietly revealed their real names to Rachel.

"So the tiny girl with the jet black bob is Alice, she's Rosalie's best friend and she's just an explosive ball of energy; I love that girl though. The dude I don't really know much about aside from the fact his name is Sebastian Smythe but he's supposedly an up and coming director here at the studios. Priscilla's real name is Jenny Schecter and she's an author; she's supposedly a big deal in the LGBT community but they're going to talk about themselves and what they came here to teach us in a minute."

Xavier Wilde welcomed everybody in the class with a friendly enough tone, though for some reason the kindness seem...forced, as if he were an outsider to this type of thing though he wouldn't be up here teaching a class about kinky sexual exploration without experience.

"You must forgive me, this is the first time I'll be hosting this workshop as a director and if I come off a little blunt, please don't take it personally. It's my job as director to be precise and straight to the point and I won't pretend to be anything I'm not during the entire duration of the workshop. I'm here to guide you and applaud you for taking interest in this culture that I'm proud to be apart of. We're here as educators to encourage sexual exploration outside of the realm of what society deems normal and we'll do our best to introduce you to domination and rough play safely while emphasizing the importance of rope tying and how restraint creates a sexual energy that can overwhelm the senses." Xavier finished and allowed Priscilla to take center stage.

"You may be familiar with my alter ego, Priscilla Luscious, making waves on the radio as I interview adult film stars and talk about lesbian sex on the show my good friend Alice Piezescki hosts. What you may not know is that my name is Jenny Schecter and I'm the author of _Lez Girls_ , a story about positive LGBT representation while touching delicate topics such as personal loss, coming out, and exploring love and sex in the city of Los Angeles. I'm here today to debunk myths about BDSM culture but I'm also here to discuss the kind of abuses that unfortunately go on within the community and what we can do to recognize red flags."

This time, Alix Lovebomb stepped forward to speak.

"As a model and performer, I'm here to motivate each and every one of you to step out of your comfort zones to experience something thrilling and new by speaking about my conservative background and personal experiences that led me here. I'll be speaking from the perspective of a submissive and why I love working in this industry."

Just then the heavy doors behind the small crowd of students burst open and the crowd immediately parts to make way for the ravishing woman making a dramatic entrance for the sake of putting up a show, and wow - what a show indeed.

Rachel's breath hitched at the sight of Maitresse Rosalie Vixen slowly making her way towards the other instructors. It was impossible to describe Rosalie's beauty, she seemed almost ethereal yet here she was at the full height of her glory. She wore a revealing three piece leather outfit; a studded underwire bra with matching garter belt and g-string. The leather studded arm guards accentuated the outfit as well as her gorgeous black lace up thigh high platform boots did and Rachel felt insignificant just looking upon her, as if her eyes weren't worthy enough to gaze upon the Domme commanding the room as well as she did with her presence alone.

"Listen up, you little sluts. Some of you may be know who I am and most of you may be unfamiliar with my work, but that's okay. I'm here to remind you who the _fucking_ boss is around here. I will not tolerate the usage of the cell phones in this class and i will have no problem escorting your ass out of the room if I am the one who catches you not paying attention. You're paying _us_ to introduce you to this lifestyle and we're here to teach you everything you need to know before you consider joining the community so let's all behave accordingly like the  the adults we are. I am the woman who breaks in new slaves and trains them to take in as much punishment as they possibly can before they're rewarded with pleasure. I am the Mistress that preys upon strong willed women who've never enjoyed the pleasures of having sex with another woman and I am the woman they won't stop thinking about after I'm done with them. I am your Mistress, Rosalie Vixen and you will heed my every command!" Rosalie declared, the sultriness of her voice sending violent shivers down Rachel's spine. Wait- were those _goosebumps_?

 Some of the couples in the audience cheered as they shoved each other around to get a closer look at their mistress.

Rosalie scanned the entire crowd in arrogant fashion, as if she could bring the world down to its knees if she simply asked - and the whole world would do more than kneel for her. Rachel believed that much. There was something familiar - primal, even -about her golden hued eyes and it struck Rachel in that moment that Maitresse Rosalie's predatory gaze fell upon _her_. Rachel's heart stopped in fear, her blood chilling at the sight of the six foot one Blonde headed straight towards her, Rosalie's mouth in a thin, tight line and brows scrunched together.

Soon everybody's eyes were on Rachel as Maitresse Rosalie Vixen approached her and Rachel was glued on the spot despite every instinct screaming at her to turn around and run away. Emmett could sense Rachel's uneasiness and stepped closer to his companion.

Before he could speak up, Rosalie raised her hand to stop him from mouthing off to her.

 "You will speak when spoken to. Just because you're the Master in your own domain, _Master Kellan Steelbone,_ it does not grant  you the authority to disrespect a Mistress in her realm. You there, little Raven, caught my attention because you seem a little lost. Are you sure you belong in here with the rest of the adults who have a modicum of respect for what this community stands for? Shouldn't you be reading a book or drinking tea in a garden somewhere?" Maitresse Rosalie Vixen asked condescendingly, clearly teasing Rachel for looking so out of place and trying to get a rise out of her.

Rachel's defenses were ready to play out how she would usually respond to such a thing but the rational part of her whispered reassuringly in her ear that this was a game, and that she just needed to match Rosalie's wit to survive this encounter.

"How little you know of me and yet you assume so much by a simple glance. Maybe you ought to pick an easier target than I because you know what they say about playing with fire - you'll get burned, Mistress." Rachel said defiantly, her voice shaking because she could not believe she just said that to Maitresse Rosalie of all people!

The response temporarily stunned Rosalie before she let out a throaty, melodious laugh.

She recovered quickly and leaned in closer to Rachel - her face suddenly a few inches from hers. Rosalie cupped Rachel's chin rather roughly though the touch in itself was softer than expected. Rosalie's bright golden eyes burned into the depths of her soul and Rachel found it incredibly difficult to look away; it also didn't help that she was completely mesmerized by the divine forces keeping her grounded under Rosalie's gaze. Tension she didn't realize had been there before intensified tenfold but the moment the hand that had been gripping her chin reached for her throat sent Rachel's senses into overdrive. Gentle fingers probed Rachel's off the shoulder dress collar for a moment before they tugged on it hard enough to bring Rachel closer to Rosalie. The singer couldn't understand why but she suddenly wanted more -no -she needed more physical contact.

"Mmm, keep talking like that little Raven and I'll be tempted to play with you in front of the whole class. Girls like you are fun to break; I can assure you that it wouldn't take long for you succumb to my charms." Rosalie suggested, her eyes still ablaze with something Rachel couldn't quite figure out.

"There's no other girl like me, of that I can assure _you_. I have yet to be charmed, Mistress, don't tell me you're holding back." Rachel replied cheekily, enjoying the brief moment in which Rosalie broke out of character. She let out a genuine giggle, the brilliant smile that formed on her face reaching her eyes. Struggling to regain her composure, Rosalie had to briefly look away from Rachel before turning her attention back to her.

"I love a woman with backbone. Trust me when I say that this is me at my tamest; should you have been in my bedroom or dungeon and you spoke to me like that, there would be absolute hell to pay. It makes me wonder how much corporal punishment you'd be able to take with a mouth that runs like yours. Better yet, I can't help but wonder what I'd be able to make that mouth do. You think you're brave now but if I ever had the opportunity to do so, I would make you scream and beg for more. For now, be grateful that I have a class to teach. You go on and think you've won but I'll be on the other side of the room fantasizing about how hard I could fuck you with a strap on while you're hogtied, ass bare and pink from taking a beating. Don't let that distract you from your victory, darling." The Vixen said with a light teasing tone in her voice, satisfied that her words left an impact on Rachel.

Rachel's cheeks were flushed, the heat in those words felt like a promise that Rosalie would certainly deliver. While she was pretty damn sure Rosalie was messing with her mind to make her feel like she was worth having inappropriate thoughts about but the way she delivered those words and the way her eyes bore into her soul made it feel like there was something there that made it seem like she wanted nothing more than to do those dirty things to her.

Emmett tapped Rachel on the shoulder.

"I think she likes you. Heh, it's not unusual for her to pick on someone in the crowd but people who are agreeable all the time either bore her or piss her off. It was kind of fun watching your back and forth banter." 

 Rachel and Emmett proceeded to listen to the instructors with interest and Emmett would casually point out what he liked about a particular lesson here and there. Rachel was personally impressed by how the BDSM community took consent, communication, and safe sex practices seriously. She couldn't believe there were so many thriving resourceful communities readily available to interested parties who wished to delve deep into kinky sexual exploration and it seemed that the company really did care for their people as they offered incredible benefits in exchange for the services they willingly performed. Rachel felt enlightened and found herself enjoying the class more than she thought she would have previously.

She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched this entire time, however, so when Rachel looked up while Xavier Wilde spoke, she found the three other instructors staring at her from afar. Rosalie's mouth moved and it earned a small smile from Alix and a quirk of the brow from Priscilla Luscious - the more mature one of the two. What could they possibly be talking about?

When it came down for the students to perform hands on demonstrations of what they learned about rope tying, Xavier told the students to pair up but before he could let them do that, he said Maitresse Rosalie Vixen had first pick of who to work with.

"I want the little Raven who sassed me earlier. I'll give her a taste of what it's like to be restrained and at my mercy. By the end of the night, I'll have her wishing that I'd fucked her too." Rosalie said without hesitation.

Emmett turned to Rachel, frozen in place, and gave her a nudge.

"She's not going to humiliate you, I promise. The rough play and domination won't come into fruition until you attend the more advanced workshop classes. She's going to demonstrate the safest ways to tie your partner, which ropes are acceptable to use and what to avoid while doing this.You can do this, but if you don't want to, she'll give you a safe word and you can use it anytime you're uncomfortable."

Rachel sighed. She really wasn't prepared to engage in something like this before but at the same time, she found the idea of being tied up and touched by Rosalie a little more than thrilling. Hell, class was almost over and it was her curiosity that led her here in the first place, she might as well get the full experience of being manhandled by a fierce adult film star.

She casually walked up to Maitresse Rosalie Vixen, anxious about what was about to transpire in front of a room full of people. Instead of being met with cold indifference, there was something warm about the way Rosalie looked at her this time.

"Hands behind your back. If at anytime you wish the demonstration to end or if the rope is hurting you, your safe word will be eclipse. Please use it if you need me to stop immediately and I will; your safety is more important than my pleasure. Are you ready?" Rosalie asked, the gentleness in her voice taking Rachel completely by surprise. Rachel suddenly felt safe and found herself nodding, eager to participate in this exercise.

It wasn't as bad or terrifying as Rachel thought it would be. Rosalie knelt on the mat beside Rachel and bound her wrists together, wrapped rope all around her torso and gently lay her across the mat to tie her ankles and keep them bound behind her back and with her wrists . With permission, Rachel allowed Rosalie to blindfold her with a leather mask which only created heightened sexual tension she had never felt before until now. She was completely helpless at this point, and to be at Rosalie's mercy like this, for her to be able to do whatever she wanted with her...it felt exhilarating.

The Vixen, Alix and Priscilla each took turns discussing Rachel's predicament and why this was incredibly appealing to Dommes.

The lesson was interrupted by a few inappropriate comments thrown out there by some of the men in the audience.

"Vixen, make her lick your feet!"

"Probe her cunt with your toes!"

Rachel blushed. How vulgar and uncalled for to interrupt the instructors in such a manner.

Emmett's voice boomed the loudest, from somewhere near where Rachel lay on the mat.

"What the fuck is wrong with you people? You foot fetishists are weird as shit I swear."

Rachel snorted at that.

"This is coming from the same man  who asked if I could gag him with my underwear and call him names while I had him bent over and tied up." She quietly joked.

Behind her, she heard both Alix and Vixen roar with laughter. Rachel was pleased that she could elicit that kind of reaction from seemingly intimidating porn stars.

She felt a hand palm her buttocks, squeezing gently before it gave her a light tap. Suddenly, she felt hot all over again when she felt someone's lips delicately teasing her ear, a hand brushing her long dark locks out of the way.

"After the class is over, I'd like for us to properly introduce. I haven't enjoyed teaching a class as much as I have tonight and I'd like to thank you." Rosalie said, her tone far kinder and sweeter than what she'd become accustomed to in the past two hours. All Rachel could do was nod and that non verbal response seemed to please Rosalie.

Twenty minutes later, after the live demonstrations took place, the workshop class finally ended on a positive note and Rachel had been freed from her restraints. Priscilla and Xavier took a few minutes to answer a few questions from some curious audience members while Emmett led Rachel to where Rosalie and Alix had been chatting away.

Rosalie's demeanor drastically changed once she was out of character and it was astonishing to observe. She spoke with her hands, gesturing wildly as she described something particularly funny and Alice listened with great interest. Rosalie straightened up the moment she realized both Emmett and Rachel were approaching her.

 "My monkey man! It's been awhile since I've seen you outside of work, we need to fix that soon!" Rosalie said as she threw her arms around him. Emmett laughed and spun her in circles before he put her down. Rachel felt incredibly small. Emmett was over six feet tall, and Rosalie would no doubt  fall just under five foot eleven without her platform boots boosting her height. Alice seemed reasonably shorter than either of them but she was still taller than Rachel, which just wasn't fair at all.

"It's good seeing you, Rose. I had to take some time off to help get my new roommate situated at home, which reminds me...Alice, Rose, I'd like you to finally meet the childhood friend I've been talking to you about. Straight from New York, she's out here for something new." Emmett motioned their attention to Rachel.

It was embarrassing how they had to look down at her to even get a glimpse of her. Alice was at least eye level with her and that made her feel a bit more comfortable.

"Yay! I finally met somebody shorter than me, but that's besides the point. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Alice!" The beautiful model exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly before she pulled Rachel in for a hug.

"Oh, wow, you smell absolutely _delectable_! Er- I hope that didn't come out weird because it sounded totally normal in my head to say aloud to somebody."

Rachel nervously laughed, the other woman's energy as explosive as Emmett perfectly described it but it wasn't a bad thing.

"Not at all, I'm Rachel Berry, and the pleasure's mine. I just want to say it was an honor to be here. This is nothing like I'd ever imagined."

Rosalie stepped forward and held out her hand for a firm handshake, her bright golden eyes meeting hers. There it was again, that intense connection Rachel couldn't quite figure out what it could mean.

"Rosalie Hale, officially, but you may call me Rose. Emmett's told us very little about you but I figured now that you're here, we could get to know you better and show you a good time while we're at it. What do you say?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think my favorite part about this story is coming up with porn star names. If you have any suggestions for the characters I've listed in the tags, please feel free to comment. :) I appreciate the Constructive Criticism, it's actually a huge motivation factor and presents ideas I can implement in upcoming chapters.


	3. Replaced Your Brain with Your Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel takes some time to assess how far along she's come since leaving New York while preparing for a job interview. She happens to run into one of the instructors from the workshop class she attended the night before and things take an interesting turn during her outing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I’m humbled by the constructive criticism I’ve been receiving and I appreciate your interest and advice. I can’t guarantee that this will become a quality story over time but I hope to continue to improve on my opportunities. As far as how the families know each other, I have plans to fully flesh out the details regarding their history as things don’t seem exactly as they appear but I thank you for pointing out how it seemed forced; I’ll try to work on this as I go along.

          Rachel reluctantly woke to the sound of her alarm going off. She knew she shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night with Emmett and his co-workers but it was definitely worth losing sleep over. It wasn’t as if they had all gone on a memorable adventure after the class ended but surrounded by the right people in a comfortable environment, just hanging out and talking the night away can prove to be really fun. It turns out that’s what Rachel needed after months of isolation and living in absolute despair after everything fell apart in New York.

She only had herself to blame for her failures, of course, though it still wasn’t easy for Rachel to fully accept how far she had fallen since then. The singer desperately wished things had gone differently at her Funny Girl audition. If she hadn’t choked, she wouldn’t be here in California trying to recover from what left her completely broken and reeling from the shock of it all. No, if Rachel dedicated a little more time overcoming her anxiety, she would have landed the iconic role that was Fanny Bryce and she would have been making big waves on Broadway by now.

Rachel sighed, clearly annoyed with the cheerful thoughts that decided to plague her mind in the morning. What’s done is done and there was no use in looking back when the only direction she needed to go was forward. If her brief foray into the abyss taught her anything useful, it was that dwelling on the past served no purpose. Rachel just needed to constantly remind herself that temporary setbacks were common and that she would eventually find her way again. Some days would be harder than most as the dark cloud looming over Rachel’s head would intensify these unfamiliar thoughts she was not accustomed to having, but she knew she had to try and find that spark again no matter the cost. She spent enough time worrying about why she wasn’t good enough for anyone or anything she set her mind to but not enough time loving herself. It took her up until now to realize she didn’t need to be validated by anyone but herself to fully appreciate how glorious life could be.

The singer worked nearly her entire life to get to where she was when she got accepted into NYADA and prior to that she’d been accused of being a selfish diva who hogged the spot light in the Glee club she poured every ounce of her passion into. She suffered name calling, incompetent boyfriends, slushies to the face, a biological mother who turned away from her in her hour of need, and yet she still managed to work her ass off to earn those solos in spite of everybody else telling her she didn’t deserve them. If she could use that same willpower that made her successful in the past, she could do it again. Rachel may still be attempting to stitch up her old wounds but she remained hopeful about her future even if everything felt unfamiliar and out of balance. She would just have to use this new beginning to her advantage although Rachel figured she should start measuring her successes by taking baby steps this time around instead of leaping borders like she had done with the Funny Girl audition.

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” Rachel told herself as she propped herself up on her elbows. While the prospect of sleeping in all day seemed appealing at first, she knew she had to jump in the shower and get dressed for the interview she had scheduled later on in the day. Working in retail wasn’t glamorous but living in California was going to be ridiculously more expensive than living in New York and Rachel needed to earn money in order to start surviving out here. Now, survival didn’t necessarily mean living, but this was California and Rachel had more than just a few ideas on how to make life more bearable in the coming months. All work and no play led to a lot of unnecessary stress in Rachel’s life so she was eager to change all that. Last night was just the beginning and hopefully it paved the way to forging new friendships since both Rosalie and Alice seemed to hint at the possibility of seeing her again in the near future.

Rachel thought the situation to be a little odd since both Alice and Rosalie were adult film stars and she’d never known anything like it, let alone people who worked in the industry but they were surprisingly friendlier than expected. Alice was bubbly and seemed to feed off Rachel’s insatiable curiosity, fueling her energy as she talked about her history with Rosalie and how she came into the business. Rosalie joked that it was dangerous to get Alice talking because once she got into the topic, it was nearly impossible to get her to stop. Rosalie, on the other hand, seemed professional at first but it was clear that once she was comfortable, she was just about as energetic as Alice. Rachel’s first impression of both young women was that they were incredibly gorgeous and were difficult to approach but after getting to know them by engaging in simple conversation, Rachel found their outgoing personalities to be pleasant.

It’d been so long since anyone made her laugh as hard as she did last night but both Emmett and Alice were quite the team as they bounced ideas off each other to make everyone feel more at ease. Rosalie’s particular brand of humor was quite dry but that was part of her charm. Rosalie’s vivacious nature caught Rachel off guard as she hadn’t expected a woman wearing nothing but a three piece studded leather outfit to be so humble and sweet. There was just something so completely mesmerizing by the way she held her gaze that made Rachel feel hot all over though she wasn’t sure if was from intimidation, embarrassment or…something else the singer couldn’t quite identify. Either way, Rachel had a great time getting to know them and she was keen on finding more like minded people to surround herself with.

After picking out the outfit she would wear to her interview, Rachel stepped into the hallway and made her way to the kitchen with the intention of preparing her coffee only to find Emmett sluggishly fixing her a cup already.

“Morning, champ. I woke up early to fix you a little something to get you going.” Emmett said with a yawn, handing over the coffee to his roommate.

“Ooh, you’re the absolute best, Emmett, thank you.” Rachel said gleefully before taking a long sip of her morning fuel. “It’s weird to see you dilly dallying about so early in the day; I figured you would be out cold until I got back from my interview since you insisted staying up until three in the morning playing your video games.”

Emmett grinned.

“Hey I’m not dilly dallying about, I’m obviously lollygagging. Get it right! Nah, in all seriousness though, I ended up having a shitty dream and woke up to a few interesting texts from Alice. We’ve got some business to discuss over at the Armory and it’s going to take all day. I don’t know how strong you like your coffee but I figured it might improve your chances at snagging a job today.” Emmett replied as he opened the junk drawer, pulling out a small object after searching about for a few seconds.

He held out a small switchblade and handed it over to Rachel, who seemed reluctant to accept it at first.

“What’s this for _, Monkey Man_?” Rachel teasingly drawled out Rosalie’s nickname for him, which made Emmett chuckle.

“It’s for your protection while you’re out and about in San Francisco on your own. We’ll go see about getting you a permit for a concealed weapon but for now, just take this in case you run into creeps. Give me a call or shoot me a text if you’re lost or if you’re feeling scared and I promise I’ll drop everything and come to you.” Emmett replied as he wrote down a number on a notepad before handing it over to Rachel.

“That’s the number to the studios if I can’t be reached. Our security guard will transfer the call directly to me and we’ll go from there. Do you have any questions?” He continued.

Rachel shook her head.

“The precautions seem unnecessary but thank you, I’m sure I’ll be fine. The store is just within walking distance anyway.” Rachel assured him.

“You can never play it too safe in this city, Rachel. If everything goes well, you should still let me know when you’ve made it home okay. I don’t trust half the _leeches_ that hide behind fake smiles in this city and neither should you.” He warned, his tone becoming serious.

Rachel relented and pocketed the switchblade.

“Alright, alright I’ll take it, sheesh! While I’d love to stand around and chat some more with your stubborn ass, I need to hit the shower. Wish me luck today!” She called out as she turned to walk away, oblivious to the solemn look Emmett had been throwing her way.

* * *

 

Rachel was applying the finishing touches to her hair when she heard the timer on her phone suddenly blare out.

‘ _Oh crap, I better get there early. I need to make an impression_!’ Rachel thought to herself, frantically throwing together every essential item she left on her dresser into her purse. She paced back and forth in the room running through a mental list of everything she needed for the interview and ensuring she actually had the papers required should she be hired on the spot by a manager. Taking a deep breath, Rachel stepped out of her room and walked into the kitchen to grab her keys. Emmett was fully dressed but he looked less awake now than he did earlier when they shared a cup of coffee.

“Emmett, it’s going to be scorching outside later today, shouldn’t you reconsider wearing all black today? Rachel stated.

“Meh, it’s not that hot.” He mumbled nonchalantly.

“Right, well you keep telling yourself that. I have to wear this blazer and I’m already uncomfortable so I better get the damn job or this would have been wasted effort.” Rachel said, playfully rolling her eyes at his response.

She wrapped her arms around her roommate for a brief hug and then turned towards the door.

“Alright, see you later, Em. I promise to call you if anything out of the ordinary happens or once I get home from my interview. Love you!” Rachel called out before shutting the door.

Emmett sighed and pulled out his phone to re-read the text messages Alice sent him earlier. He isn’t sure what to expect from the meeting today but the tone in Alice’s messages were ominous and it set him on edge. While the chances of anything happening to Rachel today during her outing were pretty slim, he was still concerned. San Francisco is riddled with all sorts of vermin and some of them made themselves more obvious than others, but those were the ones he didn’t consider as dangerous as the parasites who pretended to be your friend first.

* * *

 

Rachel was irrevocably in love with San Francisco and what the city had to offer its residents and visitors alike. Just walking down the street, she could see what the big deal was and she was captivated by it all. The unique neighborhoods, the unrivaled key attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge, and the overall culture that just made the city come alive in so many ways left Rachel wanting to see more. Sadly, she couldn’t do much more than enjoy the sights alone today since she came out here with a particular goal in mind.

She looked down at the ad in her hand and glanced in the direction she was headed. Sunflower Grocery was nestled in a quaint neighborhood, surrounded by other big name retail rivals and overrated corporate coffee houses. She’s a little anxious since she didn’t know what to expect from these hiring events but Rachel was positive she would be able to at least leave an impression on someone today.

Rachel approached the building, relieved when she saw there was a sign pointing out where interested applicants needed to go for on-site interviews. She was taken by surprise when somebody aggressively pushed past her and her first reaction was to reprimand the offender.

“Excuse _you_ , sir!” Rachel huffed, but she lost her nerve within a matter of seconds when she saw the look upon the man’s face when she called him out.

He looked deathly pale, had dark eyes that could easily be mistaken as black, and he wore a sinister smirk that made Rachel cringe from fear. There was something visibly wrong with him but it was hard to pinpoint exactly what. Perhaps he suffered from a rare illness? Whatever the case was, he continued eyeing Rachel for a long uncomfortable moment before rushing out of the store.

“Are you okay? I was checking out when I saw that suspicious man nearly run you into the ground.” An eerily familiar voice spoke up from behind her. Rachel turned her head and gasped when found herself face to face with Priscilla Luscious, or Jenny Schecter, from the workshop last night. There was no way she could recognize her, right?

“Oh, I’m completely fine, thank you for asking! He didn’t need to be so rude, but I’m pretty sure he’s running late somewhere. It happens a lot, you know?” Rachel responded nervously. She couldn’t quite meet the other woman’s piercing blue eyes out of fear of embarrassing herself in front of her.

Jenny tilted her head when Rachel finally glanced back at her. She was the young girl Rosalie had chosen to play with during last night’s events. What small worlds they must live in for them to be colliding like this.

“Wait, I know you, you’re the innocent young thing that attended our workshop with Emmett last night. You were such a good sport about being bound and teased by a lovely dominatrix. What were your initial thoughts about the event?” Jenny asked, clearly enjoying the way she made Rachel blush and stammer. She was very attractive, a bit young and inexperienced looking, but Jenny could work with that. It’s never stopped her in the past before.

“I didn’t think you’d recognize me, Ms.Schecter, but yes, that was me. It’s a shame I didn’t have the opportunity to speak with you after the class ended, you offered a lot of insight into the world of BDSM that I would never have given second thought about.” Rachel said earnestly. Out of all the lessons they crammed into one session, she found Jenny’s profound insight into the abuse that goes on within the kink community particularly enlightening.

“That’s very sweet of you to say but you didn’t answer my question, sweetheart. You see I’m working on an article related to the workshop classes that the Armory Studios offers to teach and I would love a first timer’s perspective on how everything was executed in our Introduction to Rope Tying and Sexual Exploration class.” Jenny pressed. Her tone was firm but not unkind and Rachel felt obligated to continue being truthful.

“I’m sorry! As much as I’d love to give you an answer, I just don’t feel comfortable discussing something like this in a very public place, especially when I’m here to interview for a job.” Rachel admitted sheepishly.

To her credit, Jenny looked sincerely apologetic.

“Oh my god, please don’t apologize, this was my fault. I get carried away sometimes, but I completely understand where you’re coming from um – forgive me but what was your name again?”

“My name is Rachel Berry, it’s nice to officially meet you.”

Jenny extended her arm and shook Rachel’s hand.

“I seem to have left my manners at home, but it’s lovely to meet you, Rachel. I won’t keep you from nailing that job interview any further but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in picking this up again at a later date.” Jenny said with a flirtatious smile playing on her lips.

The younger girl laughed nervously and began searching through her purse for a pen and paper.

“Uh, sure I mean we’re going to be traveling in similar circles anyway. Let me give you my number so whenever you’d like to continue your assessment, I’ll be more prepared this time.” Rachel told her as she hastily scribbled her number on the back of a receipt she found in her purse.

When she handed the note over to Jenny, the older woman allowed her fingers to linger on Rachel’s hand for a few seconds longer than she had to before she pulled away.

“I’ll be sure to give you a call soon, Rachel. I better get going myself since there’s important business to follow up on over at the armory today. I’ll let Emmett know that it was a happy coincidence that I ran into you today. Take care, darling and good luck!” Jenny told Rachel, turning on her heel and leaving Rachel to gather her thoughts.

Rachel couldn’t let herself be distracted, she needed to find a manager or someone equally important to get this interview going.

She walked up to somebody who appeared to be supervising the front lanes since they looked important and everything with that vest and name tag. Perhaps they could direct her where she needed to go.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I’m here for the hiring event you advertised in your ad and I’m a little lost. Could you point me in the right direction?” Rachel asked shyly.

The dark haired woman turned to look at her and she smiled brightly.

“Ah, a few of you arrived early today but that’s more than okay. We’re still setting everything up but we have a café where you can sit down and relax while you wait. I’m Leah Clearwater by the way and I’ll be one of the managers interviewing you. We will be with you in a moment.” She directed Rachel over to the café where there were a few other interested applicants sitting around and drinking their coffees. She smiled and walked over to one of the booths and sat herself down, pulling out her notes and reviewing everything she hadn’t gone over yet. Rachel had a good feeling about today.

* * *

 

While Rachel was in the process of being interviewed, Jenny Schecter remained by the front entrance of Sunflower Grocery looking grim and vigilant. She knew there was something extremely off about the man that had run into Emmett’s little friend earlier and she wasn’t sure if it was because of their interaction or if he was targeting somebody else but the suspicious man had been circling the parking lot like a wild feral animal. He wasn’t being subtle whatsoever and if he dared to attack someone in the middle of broad daylight then this poor thing was just a mistake that needed to be rectified. This was clearly related to some of the ugly business that needed to be discussed at the armory and Jenny wasn’t too happy about these sightings.

Just then, Jenny received a text from Rosalie:

_‘Emmett wants you to take Rachel home. We’ve sent an exterminator. Vermin like that aren’t difficult to put down once they’re isolated.’_

Jenny quickly typed in her response.

_‘I don’t want to know the details. They keep popping up around the bay area and the Volturi are going to want to intervene. You don’t want things to escalate that far.’_

Rosalie replied almost instantly.

_‘Trust me, I know. We need to figure out who’s behind this recklessness. It’s someone stupid obviously but we’ll take care of it. Your information has always been invaluable. Thank you and stay safe’_

Jenny breathed a sigh of relief when she saw an unmarked police vehicle pull into the parking lot. She recognized the man as Jasper Whitlock and if they sent him, the unleashed parasite wouldn’t survive the day. The officer wasted no time in apprehending the cretin stalking the lot though he tried to put up a fight to no avail.

Rachel walked out of Sunflower Grocery with a bright smile on her face but it immediately faltered when she noticed the same man who shoved her being manhandled across the parking lot. She was just as surprised to see Jenny still hanging around.

“You look like you’ve got a little pep in your step, Rachel. Good news I take it?” Jenny inquired playfully as she gave the smaller girl a once over.

“Yeah, I managed to leave an impression but they’ll give me a call once they go through everybody’s application. I’m sorry but isn’t that the same man who bumped into me earlier?” She asked distractedly.

“Oh, don’t worry your pretty little head about him, darling. I caught him harassing some of the shoppers while they were trying to put their groceries away and I had to let a manager know what was going on. They called the cops for me and here we are.” Jenny lied effortlessly though her attempts to manipulate the situation sometimes didn’t work in her favor.

Rachel seemed skeptical at first but she was willing to accept it since there was something off with the way he behaved.

“Good riddance, who knows what he could have been capable of if you hadn’t done something about it.” Rachel said, turning her attention to Jenny after Jasper successfully subdued the leech.

Jenny, looking bored, simply shrugged it off.

“It needed to be done. You can’t be too careful these days, something I’m sure Emmett has repeated several times to you since you moved here.”

Rachel nodded, now awkwardly standing about with her hands clenched to her sides as if she didn’t know what to do with them in that moment.

“Now that the creeper’s been dealt with, how I about I offer you a ride home? I wouldn’t mind you keeping me company for a bit before I take off to work.” Jenny said kindly as she motioned to her vehicle parked not too far from where they were standing.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind, I would appreciate a lift home! What luck I have running into you today, you’re amazing. Thank you!” Rachel beamed up at her and Jenny couldn’t help but return the smile. She was definitely cute, and cute could lead Jenny to very bad places.


	4. Chasing Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie show up to the apartment late at night after dealing with personal business at the Armory only to find that Rachel tried to stay up all night waiting for Emmett to come home. Rachel confides in Rosalie and Alice is almost too much to handle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to understand why too much exposition can be a bad thing and I hope it's getting better with each chapter. I'll continue to work on these opportunities as they come up. This chapter has gone through several edits, but if there's anything I missed, I'll be more than happy to fix what I missed.

          It had been a long day for Rachel and exhaustion was finally catching up to her. She glanced up at the clock on the wall only to be reminded of the fact that it was late and Emmett still hadn’t bothered to communicate what time he would be home. It was unusual for him to go this long without telling her what he would be up to but it certainly wasn’t the first time he’d pulled something like this. Rachel had been expecting Emmett to arrive at the apartment around five o’clock like he normally did so she prepared dinner for just the both of them. She couldn’t wait to tell him about how well her interview went at Sunflower Grocery and how Jenny caught a nefarious looking character skulking about in the parking lot. Emmett, however, never showed. Hours passed, their dinner went cold and Rachel’s attempts to reach him were basically ignored so she was understandably upset at first until her disappointment turned to worry.

She knew a man of his size could take care of himself but she couldn’t help but fuss over him. It was natural and she figured she’ll stay up the whole night if she absolutely has to just to ensure her best friend was alright and that he just got caught up with work or in the moment with friends.

 Rachel eventually picked herself off the couch and moseyed over to the kitchen to prepare a pot of coffee. As soon as she was done, she picked out her favorite movie of all time, _The First Wives Club_ , and placed it in Emmet’s console to watch before bed. Taking a long sip of her black coffee, Rachel shook off the first wave of drowsiness and valiantly made an effort to watch the movie without falling asleep.

Halfway through the movie and half a cup of coffee later, Rachel succumbed to the lulling invitation of sleep, tangled up in a soft blanket on the couch as her movie played on.

An hour later, heavy footsteps accompanied by hushed voices could be heard just outside the apartment. Emmett was irate beyond what he normally allowed himself to feel but he was determined to calm himself. He didn’t want to alert Rachel that something out of the ordinary occurred hours ago by parading around in the state that he was in.

“You know, normally I’d be thrilled that we’re out there investigating this shit instead of sitting on our hands and letting the Volturi handle these types of situations but what happened today hit way too close to home. A goddamn feral loosed upon San Francisco in the middle of the day? Whoever turned him didn’t care for consent or were too incompetent to finish feeding. You both saw how wild he looked.” Emmett said as he stopped in front of his apartment door.

Alice and Rosalie decided to accompany Emmett home tonight and he was grateful for it. After what happened at the armory with Jasper and the feral, he could use thoughtful insight on how to handle these personal investigations without bringing forth unnecessary attention to the operation they had built over at the Armory. The Volturi may have been the foundation for _their_ peace and civilization but the way they handled co-existing with humans differed from the way Carlisle taught his coven how to survive and Emmett refused to stray from what was taught to him.

 There was no need to blow their cover should these investigations escalate further into something else entirely. A few strays could be handled appropriately but they need to figure out who’s out there producing more of their kind without restraint. There were laws to adhere to and once broken, the Volturi deemed it fitting punishment to eradicate problematic individuals or disobedient clans in rare cases. There were no trials or rehabilitation facilities; once you commit treason against your own kind, you’re to be executed on sight.

“Jasper told me he could sense that the fledgling was starving and his mind was slowly deteriorating from the lack of proper nutrition. It’s obvious that his rebirth was completely accidental and he’d been ignoring every predatory instinct he had to feed off whatever food he could find. The way he stalked the parking lot earlier today meant he was slowly giving in to his instincts in order to survive, and that it didn’t matter if he got caught in the process.” Alice explained sadly.

“Alice, you shouldn’t feel bad about what happened. Jasper did what he had to do to upkeep our laws and traditions. The thing that baffles me personally is the fact that his blood smelled… _ancient_. Perhaps whoever sired him carries royal blood, which would be bizarre considering not many of our kind would have settled so openly out here in California. It doesn’t seem right.” Rosalie stated as she wrapped an arm around Alice.

Emmett was in the process of unlocking his apartment door when he noticed the bright light emanating from the television in the living room. He raised two fingers in the air to shush his companions and he continued to slowly push the door open.

The three of them entered the apartment quietly, pausing to assess if Emmett’s roommate was still awake. Alice suddenly gasped when they heard something drop to the floor. Rushing to the couch, Alice breathed a sigh of relief and smiled when she saw that Rachel was dead asleep on the couch and that it was only her phone that startled them all. It wouldn’t have been very fun had she heard them discussing their personal business because then it would mean their night would have taken quite the ugly turn.

“Aww, Emmett, she fell asleep on the couch waiting for you. What I would give to come home to a lovely, vibrant young thing like her every night.” Alice whispered, her fingers reaching over to brush strands of hair out of Rachel’s sleeping face.

Rosalie followed and feigned mild annoyance.

“Guess coming home to me every night must be starting to finally bore you, Alice. I’m heartbroken.” Rosalie teased before her eyes roamed over the sleeping figure on the couch. Rachel’s scent hit Rosalie full force once more and she could feel her eyes darkening, nostrils flaring, but this time it only took a few seconds to regain her composure. There was something so completely appetizing about the way the other girl smelled to her and it nearly made her lose all sense of herself being near her again. Rosalie could control her urges though. She wasn’t a monster and she knew better than to feed directly from a human without their consent unlike those Volturi savages.

“Being with you has been the most enthralling part of my existence, Rosie, don’t you forget it. I just can’t help it when I see something pretty and want to play it with right away. We could always share if Emmett’s willing to part ways with her.” Alice responded, purposely ignoring the way Emmett had been glaring at the both of them.

“Rachel’s her own person, not an object you can sexualize thank you very much and no, I’m not going to be nice if you two creeps hover around her like seagulls circling a pile of trash.” Emmett hissed at them although he didn’t fully realize the implications behind his words at first.

Alice snorted and had to cover her mouth since the sound of her laughter would threaten to stir Rachel out of her deep slumber.

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, Emmett?” Rosalie asked, stifling her own laughter.

“You’re both assholes, I hope you know that. I didn’t mean what I said. I was just trying to defend her honor but oh for fuck’s sake, why are even having this conversation? I should know better by now than to get pulled into your shenanigans. This always happens when you two double team me!” Emmett cried out, throwing up his hands in frustration.

Alice giggled even harder.

“Monkey man, you do realize we try our best to get a rise out of you and it works every time. You need to work on that. We like Rachel and you know this though I’ll admit perhaps I got carried away in my excitement. I apologize if my comments were unsavory. She’s just absolutely exquisite, Emmett, I don’t understand how you’re able to resist that face and that scrumptious aroma.” Alice said with a sigh, not taking her eyes off Rachel.

“Alice is seeing far too into the future that she forgets to live in the present sometimes, Emmett. They’re going to be close but even I can see how it can be hard to pretend to be strangers when your future shows you otherwise. Please forgive us, we were only teasing. I for one look forward to our friendship blossoming and when it happens, then the three of us can mercilessly tease you for the rest of your life.” Rosalie added, enjoying the way Emmett rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Oh I hope you’ve enjoyed taking your shots at me because I’m done. I am going to take Rachel to her room and you harpies can make yourselves comfortable while I clean up some of these burns on my hands. I forgot my gloves today and I fucking hate touching my steering wheel without them on.” Emmett complained as he effortlessly lifted Rachel off the couch and carried her away into her room.

He gently laid Rachel on her bed and leaned over to press a kiss on her forehead.

“Thank you for waiting up for me, I should have called. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” He said quietly before he got up and closed the door to her bedroom.

* * *

The next morning, Rachel woke to the sound of Emmett’s booming voice coming from the other side of the wall and she instantly knew that he was playing his video games. She quickly got of bed, tossed the oversized shirt she was wearing into her hamper and stepped out into the living room. Rachel appreciated the fact that he took her to bed the moment he got home but she was still mildly annoyed that he didn’t bother to respond to any of her text messages or phone calls all night.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t my roommate whom I’ve spent the entire day worrying about yesterday and it sounds like he decided to prioritize his stupid video games this morning. Could you at least keep it down you giant oaf?” Rachel scolded, stopping in her tracks immediately when she noticed he wasn’t alone. She stood there in the middle of the hallway looking like a deer caught in the headlights as both Rosalie and Alice waved at her from their loveseat.

Rosalie kept a firm grip on Alice’s shoulders since the smaller woman was eager to tackle Rachel and smother her in kisses as if she had known her most of her life. She had to often remind Alice that just because in her visions of the future they were intimate with one another, it didn’t mean they were close to being good friends in Rachel’s present just yet. Alice was notably upset but she was still happy to see their new friend nonetheless.

“Hey, I just read all the texts you sent me this morning! I’m sorry, my phone died last and I couldn’t remember your number. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” Emmett said, his eyes never leaving the television screen as he kept mashing the buttons on his controller.

“Good morning, Rachel. Oh, those are cute panties by the way, where’d you get them?” Rosalie asked with an amused expression on her face. Rachel’s eyes widened in horror when she realized what she was currently wearing didn’t leave much room for the imagination at all. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her torso and shyly retreated back into her room without uttering a single word.

Rosalie found Rachel’s bashfulness endearing and surprisingly attractive while Alice was frustrated by it but that was typical of Alice to feel that way. She just couldn’t wait until they got to know each other better to finally explore certain aspects of their relationship.

After a few minutes, Rachel returned to the living room looking redder than a tomato and Alice found it absolutely adorable.

“I didn’t realize we had company over. I’m sorry you had to see that. Would you all like something to eat or would you like some coffee or tea instead?”

“Some tea would be lovely, thank you.” Alice said before turning her attention to Emmett. The two enjoyed playing video games together and since Emmett wasn’t doing so well, he decided to share the controller with Alice. Rosalie rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen with Rachel.

“Would you like some help? I think brushing up on my skills in the kitchen would be a better use of my time than playing video games with those two.” Rosalie said as she leaned against the counter top.

“I’ll say this once and I’ll say it again, Rosie. I’ve got all the time in the world to waste and I plan on enjoying every minute of it playing video games. Don’t be such a schmuck.” Alice called out. Emmett laughed before he started spouting out nonsense related to the game that probably only made sense to his partner.

“I’d love some help actually. The first time I learned my way around the kitchen, I nearly set the loft on fire and my roommates had to order a pizza for dinner. I’d like to think I improved over the years.” Rachel admitted, nearly jumping out of her skin when Rosalie suddenly appeared beside her to reach a cooking pan that was out of her reach.

“Tell me more about that time. It certainly sounds like a memory to be fond of even if it almost ended in disaster.” Rosalie said teasingly. Rachel blushed and tried not to focus on how Rosalie’s physical presence was affecting her. For one, she had to look up at her when they engaged in conversation and it was a little disconcerting considering how unbelievably beautiful she was. Rosalie was kind and playful, unlike the other women she’d ever known in her life. It was quite refreshing.

So Rachel opened up and spoke about the candlelit dinner she shared with her “friends” though Rosalie seemed to pick up on the other girl’s discomfort when she spoke about her former roommates.

“Do you have bad history with these roommates of yours? You’ve mentioned them a few times and haven’t really addressed their names. You also seem very tense. Is this an uncomfortable topic for you?” She asked.

Rachel hesitated but was impressed by how quickly Rosalie could read her.

“I grew up with both Santana and Kurt back in that hellhole town that was Lima. Kurt was essential in helping form the Glee club along with Mercedes, Artie, and Tina. We’ve always had an unhealthy rivalry in high school since we were always vying for the solos, which during the later years they all kept going to his annoying, cheating boyfriend. Eventually we moved in together, and when Santana came along, things changed and not for the better.”

Rachel took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself as she focused on cooking the omelet correctly. It wasn’t easy talking about her past but there was something about Rosalie that made her feel safe and secure.

“I’ll be honest with you right now; I’m speaking from a place of jealousy when I tell you how much _I hated_ watching them succeed while I was struggling. Watching my dreams fall apart led me to a very dark place that I’m still trying to escape from. Kurt and Santana were trying to support me but I was so bitter that I couldn’t stand being around them any longer, especially when Santana announced her engagement to Brittany and Kurt being promoted at VOGUE magazine headquarters. I abandoned them when they actually wanted me around. No matter how much I want to play the victim card, I was the one who turned away from them because I was hurting and still am.”

Rachel hated feeling vulnerable around people. Her heart felt like it was enfolded by barbed wire and with every beat, the sharp wire penetrated a little deeper and she bled a little bit more. This was the first time she had spoken to anyone besides Emmett about the situation and it felt good getting that off her chest though she worried what Rosalie must think of her now. She probably screwed up by being so forthcoming about her feelings and now she was going to have to get used to the idea of being thought of as a selfish brat once more.

Rosalie contemplated her for a moment, looking serious as she helped finish flipping the pancakes Rachel had gotten started on. Her silence spoke volumes though it was difficult to guess where Rosalie would steer the conversation.

“I must say that’s a lot to process but it seems like it was a huge weight to get off your chest. I know all too well the price you pay when you’ve repressed your emotions for so long. Do you feel better talking about it at least?” Rosalie inquired.

“I do, thank you for asking. I’m so used to people interrupting me when I’m telling a story or when I’m being honest with my feelings, I’m accused of being a diva or a brat and it’s just so nice to have someone listen to me and show genuine interest in what’s making me feel the way that I am. I know my failings are not anyone else’s fault but I just needed to distance myself for a bit to sort these awful feelings out.” Rachel said, looking a little relieved when Rosalie offered her a small smile.

“I can relate well to that and sometimes we need that time to reflect on why we feel the way we do but we can also use that time to find solutions. Have you tried reaching out to your friends at all since you came out here?” Rosalie began pulling out plates and started serving the food she knew would taste bland considering what she was but she didn’t want to be rude and reject Rachel’s kind offerings.

Rachel felt a pang of guilt at the thought of Kurt and Santana coming home to the loft one day and finding her half of their cozy home had been cleaned out and with no way to reach her since she changed her number and cleaned out her social media accounts.

“No, but now that I think about the way I left, I don’t think that was very fair of me to do what I did. I’m such a jerk.” Rachel whispered to herself.

“I have no personal opinion on the matter since I don’t know all too well of the history you share with your friends, but if it’s something you feel like you need to do in order to clear the air, then I say take a chance and reach out to them. You either live with the mistakes you’ve made or you learn to fix them. It’s your choice.” Rosalie said with a shrug.

She helped Rachel set up the table as Emmett and Alice’s voices continued to grow louder in the background.

“Why are you tea bagging your own teammate, Alice?”

“That’s disgusting, Emmett. You know I’m a classy lady and besides, it’s called _clam slamming_ for female characters. That creepy sphincter goblin totally had it coming since he’s been screaming into the mic about how much this team sucks for the past twenty minutes!” Alice replied as Emmett howled with laughter.

Rachel grinned and Rosalie only shook her head but she seemed to be enjoying herself.

“Hey thank you for listening to me rant by the way. I really appreciate it Rosalie.” Rachel told her in a soft voice. Rosalie sat across from Rachel and placed her hand on top of Rachel’s, giving it a slight squeeze.

“It’s not often that I find myself learning something new every day but talking to you was enlightening. Anytime you need someone to talk to, Alice and I are both here for you should Emmett’s company exhaust you. Here, let me give you my number and I’ll need Alice’s consent before I give you hers but yeah, give us a call sometime.” Rosalie said with a wink, which only made Rachel blush and briefly look away from her.

Alice and Emmett took a break from their session and joined the other two on the table and Rachel felt a little more relaxed than she had in weeks.

Pleased with how well their conversation went, Alice reached for Rachel’s hand and locked their fingers together.  
  
“We’re all going to be great friends, especially us girls. Whenever you need some time away from this giant oaf of a man, you let us know and we’ll show you a good time.” Alice promised.

Rachel just remembered Alice’s tea before she could reply and shot up from her seat to prepare it. Alice followed suit and the two easily engaged in flirty, playful banter by the stove.

When they finished, Alice brought over a small tea bag and held it over Emmett’s head.

“Please don’t say it, Alice. You’re going to seriously piss me off if you say it.” He told Alice, though there was no hint of irritation in his voice.

“Now this is what I call tea bagging! I guess you can say it’s top notch quali- _tea_!” Alice joked through barely restrained laughter. Emmett winced at the bad pun but then he remembered they were living in the golden age where memes ruled the internet and bad puns were beloved by all so he eventually gave in and chuckled.

Rachel found it all entertaining and she laughed along with them, forgetting all her worries even if it were for just a day.

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


End file.
